Ghosts from the Past
by DiabloCat
Summary: Life before the project, before the operation, before the hell. Life when it was simple. No terrorists, only homework. Short story.
1. Rejection

DiabloCat: Just a short story that niggled at me for a while, so I wrote it. Nothing special.

**Ghosts from the Past **

REJECTION

"Hey Kev!"

Kevin Fawkes turned just in time to see a basket-ball heading for his face. He yelped and ducked, narrowly avoiding being struck by the ball.

"Catch!"

Kevin straightened, and scowled at his grinning brother. "Uh, Dare? You're supposed to shout catch _before _you throw the ball."

Darien shrugged, still grinning. "Yeah, but then it wouldn't be as much fun." The smile faded a little. "Besides, when did you become the almighty expert on how to throw basket-balls?"

The sixteen year old sighed at his younger sibling's challenging tone. He should have known this would happen. Darien seemed to view Kevin as some sort of threat, and was always pushing for a fight. Why did he insist on being such a child? Kevin refused to rise to the bait.

He raised his hands in mock defeat. "Fine, I won't question your remarkable throwing skills ever again. Happy?"

Darien stared at his elder brother, trying to gauge whether or not Kevin was making fun of him. "Whatever." He strolled over, hands in pockets, shoulders set in a lazy slouch.

He picked up his basket-ball, casually tossing it through the rickety hoop on the wall. He caught the ball as it bounced back, and paused for a moment, thinking. Maybe he _was_ being a bit of a jerk.

Darien turned to Kevin, hand out-stretched in a sort of peace offering. "Give you a match?"

Kevin shook his head. "I've got work to do."

Darien rolled his eyes. "Aw, come ON Kev! That's all you ever do! Live a little, will ya!"

Kevin hesitated for a moment. Just a quick game, it wouldn't have to take long…no. "Sorry Darien."

Kevin walked away, completely unaware of the hurt look in his thirteen year old brother's eyes as he rejected him once again.

DiabloCat: I'm trying to decide whether or not to make this a series of short stories about their former life and relationship. Hmm. I'll ponder that and see where it leads.

Special thanks to all who come this way and review.


	2. Flicker

DiabloCat: I was bored. I haven't posted anything in ages. This cropped up.

FLICKER

"What are you reading?"

Darien glared over the top of his book. "What do you care?"

Kevin shrugged. "Just curious. No reason in particular."

"Yeah, well, you know what they say about curiosity. It's a killer."

"Only if you're a cat," quipped Kevin in return.

A corner of Darien's mouth tilted upwards in a half-smile.

Kevin paused for a moment, then scowled. "Oh, ha ha."

"What? I didn't say anything!" Pure innocence radiated from the thirteen year old. Unfortunately, it didn't fool his brother for a second.

"Oh, but you were definitely thinking it."

Darien's brown eyes lifted up from the book again. "And I suppose you read minds?" He put the book down, and waggled his fingers mysteriously. "I am the mighty Kevin, reader of lumpy grey goo…"

"Lumpy grey goo?"

"Yeah, you know – the brain."

"Uh huh."

Darien shook his head and picked up his book again, muttering, "No imagination. No imagination at all."

Kevin leaned back against his brother's desk, noting the many strange objects scattered all over it. Suddenly his eyes narrowed. "Darien?"

"What?" the boy spat, irritated at having to put down his book again. "What now?"

Kevin lifted up the object he had spotted. "Since when have you owned a torch like this?"

The aspiring scientist could see the mental curtains being drawn. Darien's face had become as guarded as Fort Knox.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this is pretty good quality. It'd cost a lot." Kevin looked at Darien pointedly. "And Uncle Peter stopped your pocket money a month ago."

"A friend lent it to me," Darien said, shrugging unconcernedly.

"Mmm." Kevin was unconvinced. "A friend."

This time Darien didn't put the book down. He threw it across the room. "Jesus, just say it Kevin! You think I stole it, right? You think I crept into someone's house and nicked it!"

Kevin found himself eye to eye with a furious Darien. But he didn't back down. "Did you?"

"Since when did you want to know about me?" sneered the boy. "Since when have you taken interest in anything I've done?" Abruptly he turned away, and his tone became softer. "Since when have you cared?"

Kevin closed his eyes. This was what it was really all about. This was the real issue. "I've always cared. I'm your brother."

"Kev, that proves nothing. And you know that." Darien swung round to face him again. "I've been shoved aside for chemicals. I've been buried beneath your science textbooks. And I'm over it now. So get out."

Kevin still hadn't opened his eyes. "I told her I'd look after you. Did you know that? I promised." He opened his eyes. "And if I let my little brother go around stealing, I'm breaking that promise."

The siblings stared at one another. For the briefest second, something flickered between them. A brotherly recognition.

Then it petered out.

"I'm fine," Darien said flatly. "I don't need you to 'look after me'. Get out."

Kevin obeyed. There wasn't much else he could do against such stubborn determination. As he walked back to his room, he heard the door slam.

"Sorry Mom."

DiabloCat: Pah. Nothing special. But hey, at least it's something, I suppose.


End file.
